And on that day
Let all souls say
Give to our Lord
Our thanks and pray
Make known His deeds
Let all exclaim
Remember now
Exalt His name
Praise the Lord
Our song to sing
For He has done
Glorious things
Call on His name
Let this be known
Throughout the land
Our gratefulness shown
Through the gift of Spirit
Let us each believe
A practice of Thanksgiving
For us to receive
Please extend the gift
Of hospitality
Welcoming whatever
Our great God sends to me
When stress comes to visit
Embrace here with peace
Give it to our Lord
Free to be released
Offer of Thanksgiving
Of time and talents share
To each blessed soul
For gifts that they prepare
And for those complaining
Not what they deserve
A helping of forgiveness
Mercy may they be served
With each soul encountered
You love them through and through
Unconditionally
Help me to love them too
Nurturing our being
With each fork we raise
May it come with words
Of offering God praise
A stack of dirty dishes
Be my chance to bless
A gift to those I love
With a moments rest
To feast on gratefulness
Consuming now right here
To reap the fruit of joy
In blessings everywhere
A day of Thanksgiving
Like never before
With loved ones not gathered
Some here, no more
For those without work
Through struggles, endure
Those in great pain
Like never before
Great is our worry
Our hope to restore
The future uncertain
Like never before
We know the answer
Hold faith at the core
So, let us pray now
Like never before
For still, we give thanks
To the One with the cure
For we need Him now
Like never before
I’m thankful to clean dishes
That kept my belly fed
I’m thankful for my housework
A roof over my head
I’m thankful dumping garbage
For blessings overflow
I’m thankful paying taxes
For a job, I go
I’m thankful for the traffic
Because I have a car
I’m thankful for the darkness
So, I can see the stars
I’m thankful for sore muscles
Reminds me I still live
I’m thankful for thoughtless
A practice to forgive
I’m thankful for my enemy
Prayers’ opportunity
I’m thankful in my valleys
For my Lord’s dependency
To be grateful is to recognize
God’s love in everything
For indeed He has
Given us everything
Every breath is love
Every moment, grace
For it brings in Him
Immense grace to embrace
Take nothing for granted
Unresponsive, never
To wonder of awakening
To praise our God forever
For the grateful person
Knows God is good, above
Not only by hearsay
But experience of love
Thomas Merton ~ To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.
A great celebration
A feast on the menu
With joy blessed by family
For I’ve been there too
All by myself
Alone, feeling blue
A heavy cross’ burden
For I’ve been there too
A day to give thanks
To our Father turn to
We nourish the soul
For I’ve been there too
In joy and sorrows
I am your friend true
The way, eternal
For I am there too
On this Thanksgiving day
A different way to measure
If this was our last day
What would be our treasure?
In ways that we were blessed
Of cherished memories
Stored within the soul
Of friends and family
Grateful for the gifts
Shared abundantly
What seemed a random path
In focus now we see
Moment of transition
Now to eternity
What will make the passage
Do we have the key?
Hard truth of the knowledge
Of sinners that we be
To greatest treasure cling
Our Savior walks with thee
DarylMadden 